An ordinary duplicating apparatus has various conditions for copying operation which are open to selection from a control panel forming part of the apparatus. Such conditions for copying operation of a duplicating apparatus typically include a magnification/reduction ratio for copying, the print density which is dictated by the optical exposure volume, the size of the print sheet or sheets to be used, and so forth. Any of these conditions for copying operation can be selected arbitrarily from a control panel forming part of the duplicating apparatus before each cycle of copying operation is to be started. A cycle of copying operation as herein referred to may consist of a single printing step to produce a single printed output or of a succession of printing steps to produce a plurality of printed outputs.
When a duplicating apparatus having such various conditions for copying operation is switched in by an operator depressing a power supply switch of the apparatus, predetermined conditions for copying operation are automatically established within the apparatus in accordance with prescribed default rules incorporated in the control system of the apparatus. These "initial" conditions for copying operation which are ordinarily selected are those which are likely to be most frequently used for document duplicating purposes by ordinary users. Typical of such most frequently used "standard" conditions for copying operation include those for producing a single printed output of the standard A4 size in a one-to-one magnification ratio with a medium print density or medium exposure volume. These standard conditions of copying operation are established not only as initial conditions immediately after the apparatus is switched in but as when a particular key (usually called "all-clear" key) on the control panel is depressed to clear all the conditions for copying operation which have been selected and established. The standard conditions of copying operation may also be established automatically upon lapse of a predetermined period of time after the last one of the keys depressed was depressed or after a single cycle of copying operation is terminated.
In the meantime, a duplicating apparatus is known and in use which has a function or mode of operation to accept conditions for copying operation selected on the basis of data supplied from an external data source which is typically an IC card. In an IC card for use with a duplicating apparatus of this type are ordinarily stored various optional conditions for copying operation which are likely to be most frequently used by the user of the particular apparatus. Examples of such "IC-card optional" conditions for copying operation include those for producing a total of 14 printed outputs of the standard A4 size in a 1-to-1.2 magnification ratio with a medium print density.
In using a duplicating apparatus of the type thus allowing the use of IC-card optional conditions for copying operation, the operator of the apparatus may sometimes desire to shift the conditions for copying operation from those dictated by the IC card set in the apparatus to those which the operator selects from the control panel.
It is, accordingly, an important object of the present invention to provide an improved image duplicating apparatus of the type having an IC-card controlled mode of operation in which are to be established the standard conditions for copying operation when predetermined "initial" requirements are satisfied in the absence of an IC card set in the apparatus and the IC-card optional conditions for copying operation when the predetermined requirements are satisfied in the presence of an IC card set in the apparatus. Typically, such initial requirements are satisfied
(1) automatically when the apparatus is initially switched in and connected to a power source,
(2) in a manual fashion when the all-clear key on the control panel is depressed by the operator,
(3) automatically upon lapse of a predetermined period of time after the last one of the keys depressed on the control panel was depressed, and
(4) automatically upon lapse of a predetermined period of time after a single cycle of copying operation was terminated.
In the meantime, an image duplicating apparatus usually has a certain maximum limit in the quantity of the printed outputs to be produced during a single cycle of copying operation for a single document sheet. For example, an ordinary image duplicating apparatus is capable of producing a maximum of 99 printed outputs during a single cycle of copying operation. In using a duplicating apparatus of the type allowing the use of IC-card optional conditions for copying operation, it may thus happen that the data stored in the IC card require the apparatus to produce printed outputs of a quantity exceeding such a maximum permissible quantity of printed outputs during a single cycle of copying operation.
It is, therefore, another important object of the present invention to provide an improved image duplicating apparatus of the type having an IC-card controlled mode of operation and allowing uninterrupted production of printed outputs of a quantity larger than the permissible quantity of printed outputs during a single cycle of copying operation.
In an IC card for use with a duplicating apparatus of the type having the IC-card controlled mode of operation may be stored data requiring IC-card optional conditions or functions for copying operation including those which are unacceptable in the apparatus in use. An example of such unacceptable functions is the selection of a magnification ratio larger than 1:1.420 or smaller than 1:0.640 in a duplicating apparatus having the permissible magnification ratio ranging from 1:0.640 to 1:1.420. Another example of the unacceptable functions is the selection of the standard A3 size for the print sheets to be used in a duplicating apparatus conditioned or designed to be capable of using the standard B4 or smaller sizes. If the operator of the apparatus dares or happens to start the apparatus for copying operation with the IC card loaded in the apparatus, the apparatus might operate erroneously or, in the least, could not operate in a manner expected or intended by the operator.
Thus, it is still another important object of the present invention to provide an improved image duplicating apparatus of the type having an IC-card controlled mode of operation and further having a function to produce a warning signal when any of the IC-card optional conditions or functions required by the data read from the IC card loaded into the apparatus are detected to be unacceptable in the apparatus.
During operation of a duplicating apparatus of the type having an IC-card controlled mode of operation, any failure such as typically jamming of a print sheet may take place within the apparatus. When such a failure occurs during IC-card controlled mode of operation for producing a plurality of printed outputs, the operator of the apparatus will complete the remaining cycle of copying operation after the failure is remedied or may attempt to complete the remaining cycle of operation with use of another duplicating apparatus which is in a sound state. Required to be produced by this remaining cycle of operation are printed outputs of a quantity resulting from the deduction of the quantity of the printed outputs already produced from the quantity of printed outputs represented by the data initially loaded into the apparatus from the IC card. The desired quantity of printed outputs represented by the data stored in the IC card is however fixed in the card and, for this reason, a total of such a quantity of printed outputs including surplus ones will be produced in the cycle of copying operation re-started in the apparatus which has been troubleshot or in another failure-free apparatus.
Accordingly, it is still another important object of the present invention to eliminate such an inconvenience through provision of an improved image duplicating apparatus capable of producing only a required or remaining quantity of printed outputs when the apparatus is restarted after a failure in the apparatus has been remedied or when the IC card which has been loaded in the apparatus involving a failure is used on another failure-free duplicating apparatus.
An image duplicating apparatus is also known which has an interrupt mode of operation allowing the operator to interrupt the operation of the apparatus currently in progress and enter new conditions for copying operation for causing the apparatus to operate under the conditions newly entered. When the copying operation under the new conditions is complete, the apparatus restores the conditions which have been selected for the interrupted operation and thus carries out the remaining portion of the previous cycle of copying operation.
Where the function to establish IC-card optional conditions for copying operation is incorporated into a duplicating apparatus having such an interrupt mode of operation, problems will be encountered when the interrupt mode of operation is requested from the IC card loaded into the apparatus. Problems will also arise when the IC card which has once been loaded into the apparatus is removed therefrom while the IC-card optional conditions for copying operation are established within the apparatus.
It is, thus, still another important object of the present invention to provide useful solutions to these problems in an image duplicating apparatus having an interrupt mode of operation in addition to the function to establish IC-card optional conditions of copying operation.